Germany’s first attempt at creating a heavy tank was the Neubau-Fahrzeug (literally,
“New Construction Vehicle”), although the design was in fact too ponderous for
the blitzkrieg tactics that were being developed. Nevertheless, a total of five
vehicles were made, and three of them saw combat in Norway in 1940. The multi-turreted
Neubau-Fahrzeug was conceived in 1933, with the main armaments being a 7.5cm
KwK L/24 gun and coaxial 3.7cm KwK L/45 gun. There were two other turrets fitted
front and rear with machine guns. While the Neubau-Fahrzeug offered good propaganda
value, the vehicle operated by a six-man crew wasn’t truly effective in combat.
Three tanks fought in a specially created Panzerabteilung in Norway, although
one was demolished after getting stuck in a swamp. By 1942, all these heavy
tanks had been scrapped.

Modelers were pleased with the second prototype Nr.2 that was released in March
2011. However, modelers have been clamoring for a follow-up kit depicting the
third to fifth prototypes. This kit version was obviously going to be the most
popular because of the fact that the Nr.3-5 vehicles actually saw combat in
Norway. There are a number of brand new parts specifically for this kit, including
the main turret, cupola and front and rear machine gun turrets. The upper hull
and fenders are also new. Furthermore, Cartograf has provided high-quality decals
of the distinctive white elephant markings that appeared on the Nr.3 tank. Equipped
with these markings, modelers can produce a standout model of the most memorable
Neubau-Fahrzeug tank of all, one that saw real combat! The contents of this
finely engineered kit are squeezed into a box that features the stunning artwork
of Ron Volstad on the top. Indeed, the image shows a Neubau-Fahrzeug set against
an appropriate Norwegian backdrop. For modelers desiring a rare but real German
tank, this kit is the answer!